As the political climate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa heats up ahead of general elections, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) appears to be taking the maximum benefit from the wear and tear going on in other leading parties of the province.
With his clever political maneuvering, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman has brought his party on a strong foundation despite holding fewer public gatherings than its former ally and current rival, the Jamaat-e-Islami. Fazl’s announcement to restore the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) – an erstwhile coalition of major religious parties – without including the JI and JUI-Sami (JUI-S) reflects his confidence in his party’s strength in the province.
On the other hand, JI leaders who have been active since their boycott of the 2008 elections, have not been able to boost the JI’s popularity in KP and the adjoining tribal belt. During the last four and a half years, the JI leaders successfully exploited the cracks in the Pakistan People’s Party-Sherpao (PPP-S) by snatching its former MNA Sher Akbar Khan and former MPA Haji Jamshid Khan from Buner. However, the list of new comers in the JUI-F is too long.
Attiqur Rehman, a sitting MPA from Hangu formerly associated with the PPP-S, is the latest induction in the JUI-F. Regardless of the claims and justifications by Fazl or Attique, the latter is under severe pressure after the death of his father Ghani-ur-Rehman, who remained provincial minister with Aftab Sherpao and Sabir Shah in recent past. Ghani was killed through an improvised explosive device (IED). In an FIR (First Information Report) registered after Ghani’s death, Attique had nominated a leading figure of the JUI-F who is nowadays considered an active commander of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). After his father’s death, Attique who was looking for a platform to retain his socio-political position, joined JUI-F with Fazl’s blessings.
Attique is the second MPA who announced to resign from the PPP-S. Earlier, PPP-S provincial president Pervez Khattak had quit the party soon after the 2008 elections and joined the KP cabinet. Last December, Khattak resigned from the ministerial office and joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). However, contrary to the commitment with Imran Khan, Khattak is still occupying his seat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. PPP-S MPA from Dera Ismael Khan Israrullah Khan Gandhapur has been supporting the Awami National Party (ANP) government since long. Earlier in the past, the PPP-S lost its founding members such as Ahmad Hassan Khan, Mureed Kazim, Iqbal Hussain Khattak, Sher Akbar Khan, and Haji Jamshed Khan.
Before Attique, Fazl won the loyalties of the influential Kabir family from Lakki Marwat. Malik Munawar Khan, sitting MPA of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) along with ex-MPA Zafarullah Khan and former KP inspector general of police Dil Jan Khan Marwat, had announced to join the JUI-F. Such developments, while beneficial for the JUI-F, are damaging to its rivals such as the Saifullahs and the PML-N.
Apart from these individuals, PPP leader from Bannu Malik Riaz joined the JUI-F some two years ago. Riaz, who has been contesting polls since 1988, had served as the PPP’s divisional president for a long period.
Now the JUI-F is eyeing Mardan, Peshawar, Mansehra, Dir and Chitral regions, as its leaders, particularly former chief minister Malik Akram Khan Durrani, are contacting other heavyweight politicians.
On the other hand, the JI leaders failed to enhance their influence in KP and FATA despite hectic efforts. Fazl’s decision of restoring the MMA has enhanced the complications for JI leaders. The JI leaders are already in trouble as PTI chief Imran Khan announced to go on a solo flight in the upcoming elections. Ironically, JI leaders who have been arranging public meetings, press conferences, seminars and jirgas on almost daily basis since the 2008 polls, have been unable to compete with Fazl, who is considered an expert of political intrigues.
